Evidence of an ancient worldwide Flood is very widespread in the fossil record. The mere fact that most fossils are embedded in deposits laid down by water indicates catastrophic formation. Geologists recognize that "waterborne sediments are so much more widely distributed than all other agents of burial that they include the great majority of all fossils."ⁱ

Some fossils show immaculate preservation of detail and these creatures must have been buried instantly to prevent decay. The state of preservation can thus be an indication of how long the animals were exposed to the elements before they were buried.

In a flood scenario, some creatures would have remained uncovered longer than others. For example, we find perfectly preserved specimens of fossil fish, as well as specimens without heads or scales, and sometimes we find only the bones or pieces of specimens. During putrefaction, the scales and heads of fish drop off quite rapidly, and so it is clear that some were buried instantly while some floated before burial.

There are four major types of fossils:

1. Molds and casts, comprising footprints and molds that have been filled in with rock forming material.

2. Petrified fossils, or fossils turned to stone by replacement of the tissue with the elements of the surrounding strata.

3. Carbonized fossils, such as coal.

4. Unchanged fossils such as animals trapped in amber or the preserved parts of animals trapped in tar pits. Seashells and tooth and bone fragments also belong to this group.

Since fossilization requires very specific, complex conditions, the vastness of the fossil record does not support the idea of uniformitarianism. When we consider the giant dinosaur fossil, we ask, "What buried these creatures so quickly?"

Dinosaurs are sometimes found in relatively large numbers. They are mostly washed into position, with many of them showing distinct stream orientation. Scientists explain this by stating that these creatures lived in the plains and were periodically overcome by floods. However, these fossil beds often stretch over thousands of square kilometers, which would not be consistent with such a scenario.

Read about petrified trees, another example of stream orientation.

Updated January 2009.